Tory MP Katie Lam writes why there is no place for caveated condolences after Ann Widdecombe's death
Throughout her career, she was a formidable and principled advocate for the things that she believed in.
Though I never knew Ann personally, her old parliamentary seat covered a large part of my own constituency.
Judging by the accounts of all those who knew her, she was a brilliant Member of Parliament and thoroughly decent in her private life, too.
At the time of writing, we still don’t know all of the details of Ann’s death, but it sounds like what she went through in her final moments was truly awful.
I hope, as most people do, that the police will get to the bottom of this and that the person who carried out this horrendous attack faces the full force of the law.
The stories told by Iain Duncan Smith, her former Shadow Cabinet colleague, in his obituary are particularly illuminating as to her strength of character and her fundamental personal decency.
But the response from some of those who disagreed with Ann’s views has not always shared that decency.
Far too many people have felt the need to qualify their tributes and to let people know that they didn’t agree with Ann.
Luke Pollard, the Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, felt the need to say that “as a gay Remainer…we didn’t see eye to eye on some important issues”.
But why must people distance themselves from her views, or even set about arguing them, at a moment like this?
The frank exchange of views and the willingness of people to advocate for their sincerely held convictions is the lifeblood of democracy.
Whether or not we agree with those views, or those convictions, is neither here nor there.
We should admire, without qualification, those who spend their lives trying to convince people of what they believe, as Ann Widdecombe undoubtedly did.
Ex-Sky News journalist Adam Boulton went further, labelling her a “spinster” and an “old maid”, while speculating about her sex life.
This would be unpleasant at any time; in the immediate aftermath of her death, it is repellent.
Last month, I attended the debate on the Legacy of Jo Cox on the 10-year anniversary of her murder.
Many of those who knew her personally, including her sister, Kim Leadbeater, spoke movingly about the impact that Jo had on their lives.
I didn’t feel the need to qualify my remarks by mentioning our political differences, and nor would I – they're irrelevant, disrespectful and distasteful.
If people can’t bring themselves to pay tribute to Ann Widdecombe without distancing themselves from her first, they shouldn’t say anything at all.
